Every time I make a trip for Chinese ingredients to the nearby Asian supermarket in our area, I always pick up a pack or two of these sticky rice balls with peanuts, or what they call Tong But Luck in Cantonese. I just love snacking on these and simply can’t resist popping one after the other, the pack or two I buy rarely make it home. Sweet, chewy and generously coated with ground peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, they’re ridiculously addicting!
Fortunately, I can satisfy my cravings without an inconvenient drive to the store as Tong But Luck are so easy to make at home. Similar to our Filipino palitaw, these rice balls are made by combining glutinous rice flour with water to form a dough, which is then shaped into balls and cooked in boiling water until they float. Instead of grated coconut, however, the cooked balls are coated with ground peanuts for a delightful crunch and aroma.
For soft and chewy texture, these sticky rice balls are best enjoyed at room temperature as the dough hardens when cold. If you want to refrigerate leftovers for longer storage, you can zap them back to life by warming up in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds to soften. Enjoy!
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 cup ground peanuts
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1½ cups lukewarm water
- water for boiling
- In a pan over medium heat, toast sesame seeds, stirring frequently, for about 30 to 45 seconds or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a bowl, combine toasted sesame seeds, peanuts and sugar. Set aside.
- In a bowl, place glutinous rice flour and slowly add water. Combine until they form a soft, pliable dough. Knead dough until no longer sticky. Portion about 1 teaspoonful and between palm of hands, roll into 1-inch balls. Repeat with remaining dough. While working, cover the formed balls with a damp cloth to prevent from drying out.
- In a pot over medium heat, bring about 4 to 5 inches deep of water to a boil. Add balls and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until they float to top. Do not overcrowd pot, cook in batches as needed.
- Remove rice balls from the pot using a slotted spoon, shaking off excess liquid. Roll balls in the peanut mixture, pressing down peanuts to fully coat.
Sounds yummy and easy to make. And did I mention they’re really cute? I’ll make a batch of these lovely balls this week. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Yes, they’re super cute and super yummy 🙂 I hope you give them a try 🙂